Thursday, June 20, 2013

McGovern Amendment to Defend SNAP Falls Short

McGovern Amendment to Defend SNAP Falls Short

Support McGoverns Amendment to Defend SNAP

Last night, the House voted down the McGovern Amendment
(188 to 234) despite your protests to keep cuts to SNAP in the Farm Bill.With these 20$ billion in cuts we can’t
support this legislation.This will
leave many hungry and with nowhere left to look but already overstressed food
banks.

The SNAP cuts included in the
House bill could kick at least 2 million people off of the program, reduce
benefits for more than 800,000 families, and leave 210,000 children without
free school meals. Cuts to food aid programs could cost lives and hinder the
ability of the United States to effectively reach millions of people in need.
These cuts must not stand.

As the Farm Bill continues through the amendment process
it is extremely important that we continue to contact our representatives and
urge them to support a better Farm Bill.As Presbyterians we support amendments that will focus on proper
stewardship of the environment, ensuring proper access of food for all, and
payment limits on commodities.

Call the US Capitol Switchboard (202)
224-3121 and ask your Representative to support a faithful Farm Bill

Amendments to watch

Stewardship of the
Environment

Support the Costa Amendment

Uses funds from the Rural
Utility Service to address contamination of rural drinking water in communities
with less than 10,000 residents.

Proper access to
food for all

Oppose the Scott Amendment

This amendment would limit the ability of families of
those who commit serious crimes.This is
destructive to our sense of restorative justice and victimizes families.

Payment limits

Support the Fortenberry Amendment

capping commodity payments at
$250,000 per year for any one farm. The legislation also closes loopholes in
current law to ensure payments reach working farmers, their intended
recipients.

Keep Advocating!

We
thank you for your continued advocacy efforts on these amendments. While
the PC(USA) Office of Public Witness is disappointed that the cuts to SNAP will
not be restored, as Rep. McGovern proposed, we are very glad that the mandatory
structure of the program will remain intact, providing a vital safety net to
those who are experiencing food insecurity.

The
future of the Farm Bill in the House of Representatives is unclear. However,
what is clear is that we must continue to push for these key issues.

About Me

The Presbyterian Office of Public Witness is the public policy information and advocacy office of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Its task is to advocate, and help the church to advocate, the social witness perspectives and policies of the Presbyterian General Assembly. The church has a long history of applying these biblically and theologically-based insights to issues that affect the public — maintaining a public policy ministry in the nation's capital since 1946.
Reformed theology teaches that because a sovereign God is at work in all the world, the church and Christian citizens should be concerned about public policy. In addition, Presbyterian forefather John Calvin wrote, "Civil magistry is a calling not only holy and legitimate, but by far the most sacred and honorable in human life."